Honesty
by aqua711marine
Summary: When Hermione pretends to fall asleep, she overhears Ron, the only one she's ever loved, confess a secret to Harry.


The evening was bitter cold, but the inside of the young couple's home was warm. A fire had been started in the hearth and the crackling of the sparks seemed somewhat comforting in comparison to the rising sheet of sparkling white snow out in the dark twilight of the winter night.

Four friend's were gathered in the home. They were all strung together by magic, school, and life-changing circumstances. They sat in pairs, facing each other, nestled into one another and under blankets knitted by a mother's loving hand.

"Bloody hell, that snow is certainly coming down hard, isn't it?" spoke the tall, ginger haired man as he glanced out the window across from his seat, "You know I'd never rush to leave, Harry, but I don't want you to have to use a melting spell all the way home."

The shorter man – Harry – chuckled softly. "I know we should leave, Ron, but I just don't quite have the heart to wake Ginny." He nodded to the petite, copper headed woman tucked securely in his arms, fast asleep.

Ron, smirked, and shook his head teasingly. The woman in his arms, a fair, strawberry blonde, sighed loudly in her sleep.

"Can't blame them, the blankets are bloody warm and soft. It's not difficult to fall asleep under them."

"Yeah", Harry agreed, distracted.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Ron inquired, almost by default. He could read his best friend like a book. He might as well, after being close to him for about 8 years.

"Nothing", Harry responded, "Well – I mean, nothing bad. I was just thinking that…never mind."

"Thinking what? Go on, Harry", Ron pressed, stroking the girl in his lap's hair gently.

"It's really cheesy", Harry warned.

Ron rolled his eyes, jokingly, "Oh, whatever, go on just say it."

Harry cleared his throat. "I..I was just thinking that…I'm so lucky to have Ginny. I'm sorry, Ron, I know it's your sister and all, but I sometimes stop and look and her and…I'm just stunned that someone so….beautiful, intelligent, funny...someone so worth it, is my wife. I just sometimes feel that I'm half who I am…just by spending time with her."

The room was silent for a moment, except for the sound of the fire cracking and popping. Finally, Harry coughed, awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, Ron, I shouldn't have- I did warn you that it would be cheesy", he began, uncomfortably.

Ron snorted at his friend, "Harry, relax. It's fine. I…actually have to say the same thing about Hermione." He glanced at the sleeping girl in his lap.

"My whole life…I felt like I had to prove something to her", he grinned, "Since we were 11, I was trying to prove to her that I could be…I don't know, better than I was. That I was some kind of super hero." He glanced up at Harry, who nodded at him to continue.

"The truth is…I wanted her to recognize me as just the boy she bickered with", Ron smiled down at Hermione, reminiscing. "Every time I was with Lavender, I would think of Hermione and wish that it was, I don't know, her that I was with." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"When Hermione and I kissed, down in the Chamber of Secrets for the first time…I – well, I felt a lot of things. I felt surprised, and shocked, and I remember thinking that she looked so beautiful leaning in to kiss me", Ron looked down, and spoke softer, "And I remember thinking, that after all those years of pining after her, it had come down to that moment…and I knew that the wait had been _so _worth it."

Ron looked up at Harry who was listening intently to what was being said and was waiting, patiently for Ron to conclude his speech.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…I love Hermione so much….I don't think she'll ever know how beautiful and flawless she is to me. I don't…I don't think she'll ever realize…how much that I-" he paused, swallowing hard, before glancing down at Hermione, "how much…that I love her"

Harry grinned, "Thanks for sharing, mate"

Ron's face burned red and he thanked God that Hermione had been asleep.

Beneath the blankets, she smiled to herself, careful not to let Ron see her.


End file.
